Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains
Chapter 844 - 844: 369, Consecutive Conquest of 7 Cities, The Reality and Illusion of the Chan Sect (Part 3)_2

After listening to Hou Yucheng's speech, the people below were momentarily silent.

"Thank you, Second Master. We are willing to serve Hexi!"

"I am willing to join the new army."

"Second Master's orders, we shall certainly obey."

......

The responses echoed one after another, marking the reaction of this rabble.

For those who surrendered, it could be seen as fear of death or, more positively, pragmatism and awareness of the situation. Hou Yucheng made it clear that despite their surrender and submission of the certificate of pledge, their lives were still not entirely theirs. Forming a new army required them to turn around and fight fiercely against Leiyin Temple.

If they survived, their lives would truly belong to them, and moreover, they could join the Hou Clan.

Honestly, joining the Hou Clan was not considered a great honor in their minds at the moment. For them, survival was the top priority. Perhaps most of them weren't optimistic about Hexi, and had more confidence in Leiyin Temple, but the circumstances were pressing. Agreeing was one option. Refusing was another.

If they refused, they would face a blade now. If they agreed, at least the blade could be delayed. What if something changed or Hexi won?

From the moment they submitted the certificate of pledge, they had no choice!

Hou Yucheng naturally understood what they were thinking. He slightly shook his head; he didn't expect these people to form combat power in a short time. As long as they didn't cause trouble, he didn't care what was in their minds.

"Go to Jiuchi County to deliver the orders, solve all captives in the same manner."

"Subordinates obey!"

Watching the messenger gallop away, Hou Yucheng's expression slightly darkened.

Under normal circumstances, after capturing these areas, preliminary governance would gradually bring these martial artists around to serve the Hou Clan unless they were staunch devotees of Leiyin Temple.

The problem now is that it's not a normal time.

The captives from the five cities in Jiuchi County totaled nearly three hundred thousand. These were accomplished martial artists. Even without weapons, a large number of soldiers were required for their detention. Hexi's great war had just begun, and the forces were so scattered, which was extremely unfavorable for the subsequent battles.

"Out of the five cities' three hundred thousand captives, accounting for those unwilling to surrender, about seventy percent, this new army could at least reach about one hundred thousand. All in the new army had submitted the certificate of pledge. Their path back to Leiyin Temple was cut off. Not expecting them to help, at least there's no possibility of causing trouble. And maybe, they could be surprisingly effective!"

A gleam of insight flashed in Hou Yucheng's eyes as he turned his gaze northeast.

"As long as Big Brother finishes, Pengkang, Jiuchi's two counties and seven towns with a total of nine cities will be in Hexi's possession. Then Hou Fei, Gao Cheng, Gao Hu, Hou Ying, Hou Cun, Su Li, Nie Xinliu's seven divisions can defend the frontier, advance or retreat. Leiyin Temple reclaiming the nine cities will be as difficult as climbing to heaven!"

Hou Fei led two hundred thousand Red Flame Army west of Jiuchi County, Gao Cheng and Gao Hu's five hundred thousand Zhaoyang Army were west of Pengkang County, Hou Ying and the other three each led two hundred thousand Zhaoyang Army on the west borders of the two counties. No news had returned yet, meaning Leiyin Temple reinforcements hadn't arrived. Without reinforcements, unless there were skilled characters in Pengkang County, those thirty thousand Earthshade Monastic Soldiers were merely dreaming if they thought to stop Big Brother leading thirty thousand Red Flame Army.

Confident in his Big Brother Hou Yuxiao, Hou Yucheng seemed to see the two counties and seven towns all in hand, and his expression gradually showed excitement.

......

At dusk, the originally peaceful and harmonious Pengkang County was already enveloped by the sounds of fierce fighting. The expansive sunset was not the work of the setting sun but two stretches of dense red clouds of blood and vapor stretching two to three miles, shining forth.

"The city gates are broken, a garrison follows me to climb the walls, the others attack the city!"

"Don't let them enter the city, stop them."

"Kill them..."

"Bald monks from Jizhou, dreaming to seize our Xiayuan Road, dream on!"

"Brothers, charge with me."

......

Gang Qi and True Qi filled the space below the city gates, with True Yuan and Divine Origin also pervasive. Combined, the Red Flame Army and Earthshade Monastic Soldiers numbered over six hundred thousand, though not yet fully intertwined, the frontlines' bloody battle had already reached a fever pitch.

As continuous waves of soldiers surged from behind each side, the two mighty armies clashed fiercely as one, leaving only the question of time.

The raging flames of the Red Flame Army and the Buddhist Sect's Jin Guang of the Earthshade Monastic Soldiers appeared alternatively in the combat zones, with each leader's angry cries accompanying their appearance. The soldiers from both sides had similar cultivation; the Monastic Soldiers occupied more numbers on the prefectural city's side. Yet, even under such circumstances, the advancing trend of the Red Flame Army into the city was evident.

"Anyone who dares to take a step back, I will sever without mercy!"

Wu Yuan's angry roar was nearly a bellow for the army not to retreat. Yet he faced a battlefield with over six hundred thousand combatants; his cultivation in the Xuanyin Realm was decent, but under the pressure of Gang Qi, he could not unleash fully, so the deterrent effect was limited.

"Stay and die? The Red Flame Army is so strong, even they can't hold them."

"Leiyin Temple clearly brought us here to die!"

"Hexi has always been our Xiayuan Road's territory; the Hou Clan and us have always stayed out of each other's way. Were it not for Leiyin Temple's southward move, this war wouldn't happen at all."